FreeOrion

I would like to suggest one small change to the game.
Instead of having two separate buildings would it be possible to build
a Scanning Facility first and then make the Interstellar Lighthouse
be an upgrade that replaces it? Maybe reduce the time to build an
Interstellar Lighthouse as well since you have to build a Scanning
Facility first.
Of course the new Interstellar Lighthouse would act like a Scanning
Facility as well as its original abilities.
Not sure if buildings can be 'upgraded' like this in the game.

EricF wrote:Not sure if buildings can be 'upgraded' like this in the game.

There is no "upgrade" functionality in the backend code, if that is what you're asking. However, you can sort of simulate a "building upgrade" like this. You need to make building A a requirement for building B, and provide an effectsgroup in building Bs script that removes building A.

However, in practice this means that on the turn building B gets produced, you have both buildings present on the planet, because execution of the remove-building-A-effectsgroup in building Bs script will only happen on the next turn. Which doesn't convey the idea of an upgrade taking place very well...

Another of those things which makes me think we really should consider several "phases" for effect execution. It just doesn't make sense to execute all effects at the same point during turn execution, when clearly some effects would make more sense only being executed at other points.

Sometimes Interstellar Lighthouse should be destroyed to hide own "invisible" fleet while Scanning Facility should remain.

EricF wrote: would it be possible to build
a Scanning Facility first and then make the Interstellar Lighthouse
be an upgrade that replaces it? Maybe reduce the time to build an
Interstellar Lighthouse as well since you have to build a Scanning
Facility first.
Of course the new Interstellar Lighthouse would act like a Scanning
Facility as well as its original abilities.

Wouldn't it be much simpler to just have the Scanning Facility be a prerequisite to the Interstellar Lighthouse (similar to how advanced shipyards are scripted)?

Vezzra wrote:[There is no "upgrade" functionality in the backend code, if that is what you're asking. However, you can sort of simulate a "building upgrade" like this. You need to make building A a requirement for building B, and provide an effectsgroup in building Bs script that removes building A.

Buildings can be upgraded in the same way that weapons are... Give them an effect that only functions if a tech has been researched.

We've discussed the Lighthouse and the Scanning Facility before, both as currently scripted go against the no-micromanagement goals of the game and are, at some point, due a revamp, but the details haven't really been discussed.

Given the lightouse has two distinct roles and explicitly different uses it might be worth splitting them up anyway and putting the anti-stealth effect into a tech upgrade for the scanning facility.

o01eg wrote:Sometimes Interstellar Lighthouse should be destroyed to hide own "invisible" fleet while Scanning Facility should remain.

I know that if you mouse over the stealth value when a ship is near a friendly
Interstellar Lighthouse it will show the stealth value being lowered, but friendly
IL's don't actually lower the stealth of friendly ships do they?
That would be weird.

Since nobody answered my last question, I guess it must have
been a dumb one and IL's do lower the stealth value of all ships.
Since it has a fairly short range I suppose it's not really that big
of an issue even for friendly ships.

I tend to build IL's all over the place for the speed boost it gives.
Never really considered the lower stealth issue.

Also, I agree that giving the stealth lowering ability to the Scanning
Facility, with a tech upgrade, does make more sense.

I was just thinking of making the IL an upgrade to the SF just
to remove some clutter, but it's not that big an issue.
I take back my suggestion. Given their separate functions
making them separate buildings does make sense.